Relying on the non existent
by Ipsa scientia potestas est
Summary: What if Hermione got hit by a curse that's slowly killing her? What if the only one who can save her disappeared? What if that person was Severus Snape?
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter_**

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June 1994

Severus Snape walked into the Headmasters office; luckily Dumbledore was away on business at the ministry. Snape was about to change his life forever, he walked up to the headmaster's desk took a brown enveloped letter out of his left jacket pocket; placing it slowly on the desk.

"I'm Sorry," he said to no-one in particular before stalking out of the office in his usual manner. Never being seen again.

September 1996

"Great not again!" Hermione was very frustrated this was the 3rd time this week she had woken up late; for some reason she has been feeling so tired and achy lately. Dragging herself from her bed she moved across the room she went to look at herself in the mirror. 'What on earth is wrong with me?' she looked horrific a corpse with no soul a deathly pale, lips as cold as ice and massive circles around her eyes something was most defiantly up; she just couldn't quite place it.

Moving away from the mirror she got dressed and made her way to class she had long missed breakfast and if she didn't get a move on she would miss her first class as well, that would defiantly displease McGonagall if she ever found out; Hermione was supposed to be a prefect being late would not set a good example.

Meanwhile in the Great Hall,

"Ron, where's Hermione she's been acting so weird lately, do think we need to take her to Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked in a questioning tone.

"Nah, she's fine it's probably just the stress, it's most likely her time of month or something. Anyway can you pass me the sausages? I'm starving!" Harry was not amused by Ron's response honestly, how could he put food over the wealth fare of their friend.

"You really something you know that Ronald Weasley." And with that Harry stormed off, Ginny gave her brother a disapproving glance.

"Wha'?"

Harry continued down the halls to the potions classroom, his least favourite lesson of the week. He thought Snape was an annoying snarky git but least he actually taught them something. Though he would never admit to anybody he want Snape back there is no way with Slughorn as a teacher he was going to pass his NEWTS. All Slughorn does is talk and not even about potions! Harry wasn't even in the mood to think about it, he just kept on walking down the hall.

When he arrived Hermione was already seated in her usual place on the 2nd row back on the right.

"Where were you this morning?" Harry asked as he sat down next to Hermione waiting for the lesson.

"Oh, hello Harry. I well um…I just wasn't hungry." Hermione tried to avoid eye contact with Harry as much as possible.

"You know that excuse isn't going to work we me you know; it may work with Ron but not with me." Hermione just ignored Harry and went back to looking at her textbook which lay in front of her. Sighing Harry took his seat and the class began.

"Today we're going to be brewing a cure for boils, can anybody tell me what colour it should be on completion" Slughorn asked his is usual drowning tone. There were many groans around the room.

"Now, now children that attitude is going to help you pass your NEWTS"

"At this rate we're not going to pass our NEWT," Malfoy stated. There were mumbles of agreements around the room. Slughorn shot an unamused look at Draco Malfoy but continued on with his lesson.

"Instructions are on the board," Slughorn moved across the room, slumped in the chair and started on the piles of paper work on his desk. The students started on their potions. Hermione and Harry paired together.

"So…Hermione, what you thinking of doing over the Christmas break?" Harry asked trying to start a conversation. She just shrugged and continued with her potion. Harry placed his hand gently on her shoulder. "Herms are you ok, you've just been acting so strange lately," Hermione gave no answer she just swayed from foot to foot. "Hermione?" Harry asked once more. Falling into the wall Hermione collapsed.

"HERMIONE!"

_**A/N: What do you think? Should I continue?**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**_

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"What happened?" Hermione asked as she sat up in the hospital wing, she had this sickening feeling in her stomach. _Why is it so bright in here? Where on earth am I?_

"Miss Granger I suggest you lay back down moving too quickly is not good for your health my dear," Madam Pomfrey said weakly smiling to the girl. Harry and Ron were seated either side of Hermione's bed with worried looks on their faces. Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall were standing at the end of her bed looking just as worried. This unnerved Hermione a lot. So many questions were running through her head. _Was she going to die?_ Not taking Madam Pomfrey advice she slowly moved herself into a seating potion.

"Miss Granger are you feeling a little better?" Her worried head of house asked. Hermione nodded her head reply. "Good, good, Mr Potter has informed me that you have been feeling under the weather lately, when did it first start?" Hermione didn't know what to say, had it been that obvious? She would say it was just lack of sleep and she had been up late recently, hopefully her head of House would buy that excuse. Though she truly had no idea what was making her feel this way.

"Well I um… was um… well you see ma'am, I I've just been very tired lately it must be the stress," Hermione looked pleadingly at her professor. Her professor was less than amused at her answer.

"Well Miss Granger I do not approve of students lying to me," Professor McGonagall looked sternly at the girl, and Professor Dumbledore stood back and was allowing his colleague to take charge after all she was in her House. Hermione shifted her seating potion and looked at her hands. She knew her head of house expected an answer and she wasn't going to go anywhere until she got one. Hermione took a deep breath

"Well about late June ma'am, it's just got worst recently," Madam Pomfrey gave a small gasp she could not believe the girl managed to keep this a secret for so long. McGonagall glanced a Dumbledore who seemed to have a very thoughtful expression on his face.

"What's wrong? I'm dying aren't I?" Hermione started to weep. Ron and Harry started to comfort Hermione and telling her everything was going to be ok. Madam Pomfrey came over and sit on the end of Hermione's bed.

"You said earlier that you've been feeling like this since late June and your Professors and I believe that these are side effects of a curse you were hit with at the battle of the department of mysteries," Madam Pomfrey said softly to the patient.

"Is it treatable?" Harry asked apprehensively at Madam Pomfrey.

"Well it should be," Madam Pomfrey stood and left the teenagers to have some time alone and went to stand with the Professors who had been talking over the other side of the room.

"Poppy I've never seen anything like this before, I mean I've seen some horrible curses but this is burning her organs away, if we do not act quickly she will die." McGonagall quietly told Madam Pomfrey to ensure the teenagers didn't hear her. "Have you ever seen anything like this Albus?" Dumbledore turned to look at her.

"Once my dear though only in written form I've never seen it in person before now. I believe an order meeting is in order as I do know somebody who has."

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_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews so far and Sirius Black didn't die in the battle of the department of mysteries for the purpose of the fic**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**I do not own Harry Potter**_

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All of the Weasley par the traitor Percy were seated around the kitchen of Grimmauld Place along with Harry Potter, Kingsley Shaklebolt, Minerva McGonagall, Mundungus Fletcher, Remus Lupin, Mad-eye Moody, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore and finally the very anxious Hermione Granger. As this particular meeting concerned the younger members/soon to be members of the order they were allowed to sit in on this meeting much to the disagreement of Molly Weasley.

Albus Dumbledore rose from his seat at the end of the table and took out a parchment with a list of books on it.

"I've looked in all the books at my disposal to see what is wrong with Miss Granger and to find a cure however I was unsuccessful," Hermione gave out a small cry at this news. "However I remember that when I read about this curse in a particular book belonging to a previous student of my and not a published charms book. Mr Potter could you please hand me the book you have in your possession at this very moment." Dumbledore put out his hand to Harry who reluctantly removed the book from his jacket pocket and gave it to the headmaster. Remus Lupin who was sitting opposite Harry looked intriguingly at the book, he had defiantly seen it before but couldn't remember its owner. The book was very tattered and had a mysterious look about it. "Mr Potter how did this book come into your possession?" Dumbledore took a small glance around the room to look at the suspicious faces of his colleagues and students.

"Well sir I found it in the potions classroom. I had forgotten my text book and Slughorn, sorry Professor Slughorn told me to find one in the cupboard." The adults around the room deemed this a reasonable answer, and Albus was about to continue when he noticed him still looking intriguingly at the book that lay on the table.

"Remus?" Dumbledore asked. Lupin's head snapped up.

"That's Snape's isn't it, I recognise it from our seventh year potions class, he was very protective of it," Everybody was looking between Albus and Remus waiting for an answer.

"Yes, your quite right it is," Dumbledore flicked through the pages until he came to the one containing the Elixir to induce Euphoria.

"Ah, here we are I believe this is the one we are looking for." Everybody sat up in their seats. Dumbledore stated from the book. "Deldronis, not to be used under any circumstances on friend and foe alike. Testing proved fatal as over the duration of 1 year the victim's slowly burning inside." All those in the room par Dumbledore gasped, and Hermione started to cry.

"Did you just say burning the victim's insides!" screamed Molly Weasley. Hermione was now crying on Molly's shoulder. She was going to die she just knew it.

"So what are you going to do about it Dumbledore, last time I checked Snape disappeared of the face of the earth." Shouted Mad-eye Moody.

"Well, I suggest we go ask him about it don't you," stated Albus. Moody was furious with Dumbledore.

"We don't know where he is Albus," Remus said before Moody had shouted at the headmaster.

"Well, Remus we do."

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**_Please keep reviewing, I hope you like this chapter _**


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